Bitter is The Mighty Melon

SUPER HERO PROFILE
- Name: "The Mighty" Bitter Melon
(born Momordica Charantia - Let's face it, who's gonna remember THAT? Not sexy)
- Costume: Wrinkly warty pebbly green costume when young, with patches of warm yellow when older (no cape)
- Family background/problems: (who doesn't have one these days?) deep down, always envies his popular relatives: squash, watermelon & cucumber
- Physical appearance: a bit chubby on top, but slim at the bottom, looks intimidating, scary, even

- Character: as the name suggested, he is BITTER. It makes him a less popular super hero, compared to...let's say...Banana the Sweet. But once you get to know him...he is too a sweet and caring super hero. He is more powerful when young, turns even more bitter when he gets older
- Inner beauty: juicy, colorful flesh, fluffy cottony pith, seeds which get vibrant red & sweet as he gets older

- Super hero powers:
1.Fights the scariest of scary chronic diseases
> Reduces blood sugar, improves one's body's capabilities to produce insulin, thus fights DIABETES
> A potent inhibitor of HIV activity & AIDS virus without the toxic effects
> Its crude extract carries anti-cancer properties
2. Fights viral infections
3. Improves digestion
4. A good source of iron, calcium, phosphorus and Vitamin B

- Wow factor: WOW WOW WOW!

Learn to love The Mighty Bitter Melon, try this:
Beef and Bitter Melon Stir Fry with Black Beans
Recipe
(serves 4)
- 2 bitter melons
- HK$30 beef (about 1.5 lbs)
- 5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 red chillies, finaly chopped
- 1-2 tbsp fermented black beans
- 2 tsp corn starch (1 for marinate, 1 for sauce thickening)
- soy sauce, sugar, chicken stock (natural/powder/cubes: optional), sesame oil (optional), salt, pepper, olive oil

Handling Bitter Melon
- Wash the outer part
- Cut in half
- Scoop out the pith and seeds using a spoon (unless you want to use them for salad or other things)
- Do not remove skin
- For stir frying, slice 'em thinly (around 3 mm)
- Pour salt over them, leave it for around 5-10 minutes
- Using a strainer, drain the bitter juice

Marinate beef in soy sauce, sugar, a bit of olive oil/sesame oil, 1 tbsp corn starch. In a hot wok with a bit of olive oil, saute some garlic and chilli, add the bitter melon slices, add some black beans until the bitter melon softened a bit, set aside. Don't wash your wok, just clean it briefly with a paper towel, add a bit of olive oil, saute the remaining of garlic and chilli, add beef, add more black beans, saute until almost done, add the bitter melon, adjust taste by adding soy sauce/sugar/pepper/chicken stock when necessary. If you'd like to thicken the sauce, mix 1 tsp corn starch with 3 tbsp cold water add a dash of sesame oil, make a well in the middle of wok, pour the corn starch mix, stir well, serve with steamed rice.

Now I can say I had dinner with a super hero last night, with a pinch of bitterness ^_^
How about you?

This will be shared with the Weekend Herb Blogging Crowd, hosted by Coffee & Vanilla this week.